I literally snagged up the last can of “John Smiths Extra Smooth” at today’s final Guy Fawkes celebration at the Sportplatz Werrestrasse. The british forces are bound for home next year, and they’ve been part of my life more or less constantly; having grown up opposite the NAAFI here in Herford, it’s weird to not have the folks along from next year on.

Thanks for everything you added to our little town and for introducing me to a foreign language at a very early age. You will be missed!